Til Death Do Us Part
by Mrs Pepperpot
Summary: Will Chris and Shaz finally make it down the aisle? And can Gene And Alex ever have a future together?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding Ashes to Ashes; I'm just a fan of the TV show and the characters. I have reedited this fic since it was first published, but the story is unchanged. It was originally written during the hiatus between series 2 and 3, hence the AU version of events. Thank you for reading and reviewing. – Mrs P.**

* * *

Til Death Do Us Part

Chapter 1

There were only a couple of days until Chris and Shaz's wedding, and the gang were gathered in their usual spot at Luigi's. Almost three months had passed since Gene had accidentally shot Alex, and although her physical wound had healed well, the psychological trauma still lingered. The damage done by her false return home, coupled with the breakdown of trust in her relationship with Gene had been harder to repair, and things between them were still fragile. There had been some brief moments of warmth between them during the Christmas and New Year festivities. She had even kissed him as 1982 ended and 1983 began, it was only a quick and chaste peck, but it was enough to give Gene hope that all was not lost between them. The whole team had been through the mill, with Chris's betrayal and the fallout from Operation Rose. But they were trying to move on, and the wedding seemed a good opportunity for everyone to come together in celebration and leave the past behind, if only for a day. Ray was being his usual obstinate self though, particularly where the subject of wedlock was concerned.

"You won't catch me walking down the aisle. Love 'em and leave 'em, that's me," he said.

"That's only because no woman's daft enough to have you." Shaz said with exasperation.

She was growing weary with Ray's constant attempts to rain on her parade.

He threw her a look of annoyance and took a swig from his pint leaving Chris, who had been gazing at his fiancé lovingly, to pipe up.

"I can't wait to get wed; I think marriage is a wonderful thing." he said smiling and gazing into Shaz's eyes.

"Poof," Ray muttered dismissively.

"Sorry Chris, but you're talking to two divorcees and a confirmed bachelor here," Alex said apologetically.

"I didn't know you'd been married, Ma'am," Shaz said with surprise.

"Hmm, well, I'm not sure now is the right time to go into my failed attempt at matrimony."

She frowned at the memories of her marriage to Peter Drake, but it had attracted Gene's interest and he shifted his attention to her. He fixed Alex with his penetrating gaze, while all the time trying to glean something from her demeanour. She had never really talked about her ex-husband and he was curious.

"It can't have been all bad though?" Shaz asked hopefully, wanting some reassurance that not all marriages were doomed.

Alex looked uncomfortable and was unsure about continuing, especially as she had noticed that Gene's curiosity had been piqued, but she took a breath and replied.

"No, it wasn't all bad, in fact we had some really wonderful times in the early days, but he let me down in the worst possible way," she said with sadness.

"What, another woman?" Gene chipped in and then immediately regretted his interjection.

Alex looked slightly hurt as she met his gaze, but she answered him.

"No, not another woman, other women, I mean why stop at one, right? It seems he couldn't resist any bit of cheap goods that threw themselves at him. Still, some men are like that, aren't they?" She said pointedly.

Gene shifted uncomfortably in his seat feeling stung by the barely veiled reference to his dalliance with Jenette, and he felt a stab of guilt even though he hadn't technically betrayed Alex, after all they weren't together. He still felt bad over it though, and even more so because he knew it was Alex he had wanted all the time. Jenette had only ever been a case of any port in a storm, and the knowledge of that, in light of the circumstances of his accidentally shooting Alex, disgusted him.

The atmosphere suddenly seemed a little strained, and Shaz cut in to quickly change the subject.

"I hope you're going to behave yourself tomorrow night," she warned Chris.

"My cousin Terry will be keeping an eye on you, just in case," she hated to think what would happen on his stag do.

"He'll be lucky if he can remember his own name when we've finished with him." Ray said smugly.

"Don't worry baby, I'll be on my best behaviour, I won't let you down," Chris said reassuringly, as his best friend rolled his eyes.

"It's not you I'm worried about," Shaz said as she shot Ray a warning glance.

The evening wore on and Alex ended up being sat alone with Shaz, as their male companions were otherwise occupied. Her young friend noticed that she seemed to be a little distracted.

"I Hope I didn't upset you earlier, Ma'am, asking about your marriage I mean?" Shaz inquired; concerned that she was responsible for her reflective state.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm alright really, it's just, well, when you've been let down so badly by someone you trusted, someone you loved, it hurts." Alex replied with sadness.

"Are we still talking about your ex-husband here?" She asked tentatively as she had long wondered how deep her DI's feelings for the Guv ran.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

Alex tried to be evasive although she knew full well who Shaz was referring to, and her eyes unconsciously wandered over to Gene, who was chatting to Ray at the bar. She felt herself blushing as she realised her friend had noticed her sly glance in the Guv's direction.

"What about you? No second thoughts?" Alex asked.

She was desperately trying to turn the spotlight off of herself and back onto the impending wedding.

"No, I can't wait to be Mrs Skelton. I know Chris isn't perfect but he's perfect for me, and I love him so much," Shaz said with conviction.

"He's a lucky man," Alex said returning her warm smile.

Chris came walking back over towards them from his visit to the gents, and he and Shaz prepared to leave. They said they had a few last minute preparations to be getting on with, although Alex suspected they just wanted to be alone for a while before the madness of the wedding took over. They began to say their goodbyes, and Shaz moved over to her friend so that she could tell her one last thing.

"Chris made a terrible mistake and it broke my heart, but I knew deep down that I had to forgive him, or my heart would stay broken forever," she looked over at Gene as she spoke and hoped Alex knew the point she was trying to make.

DI Drake managed a weak smile as she hugged Shaz, and wished her and Chris goodnight. She was ready to call it a night too, and as Ray made his exit, she felt uneasy about being alone with Gene. There had been so much left unsaid between them, although they had tentatively reconciled after she had awoken from her 1982 coma. It was mostly because Alex was hurting too badly to face any more showdowns, and Gene had wanted things to get back to normal as quickly as possible. He had never been one for confronting issues that might expose his deeper emotions, and he had been only too happy to paper over the cracks. However, neither of them could keep ignoring the fact that things between them had changed, and although they both kept avoiding it, they knew at some point it would all come crashing down on them if they didn't clear the air properly.

Alex shifted uncomfortably in her seat as Gene downed the last of his pint, she knew they should talk but she wasn't in the mood. She was about to get up to leave when he broke the silence between them.

"D'ya want another?" He asked as he drained his own glass and noticed hers was empty too.

"No, actually I was about to go, it's getting late," she said nervously as she moved out of her seat.

Gene didn't speak for a moment, and instead he just gave her one of his intense looks. The ones that turned her brain to mush if she dared to meet his gaze for too long.

"Right, night then"

Alex tried unsuccessfully not to let on how flustered she was, and she made to head for the stairs to her flat. She hurried on without looking back when suddenly, a gruff voice behind her made her start.

"Hang on, Bols. D'ya mind if I come up with you? I'd like a word, in private," he said in a serious tone.

Alex was thrown by Gene's request, and the discomfort she felt at being in his presence increased significantly as she pondered being alone with him in her flat, especially as she had just regarded it as a sanctuary from him. She mumbled an affirmative response and scurried on up the stairs, unwilling to face his scrutinising glare until they were stood outside her flat. After fumbling nervously with the lock she opened the door, and Gene followed her in, closing it behind him.

"Can I get you anything?"

She began clunking about in the kitchen to keep busy and disguise her skittishness.

"Go on then, I'll have what you're having," he replied as he moved to sit down on the settee.

Alex took out the single malt she had stored in the back of the cupboard and poured out two generous measures, not that she wanted either herself, or Gene, to get drunk, but she felt some Dutch courage was needed. Her mind was reeling as she tried to figure out what he wanted to talk about, and he certainly didn't seem in any hurry to spit it out, whatever it was. She walked slowly into the living room where Gene was seemingly deep in thought, and sat hunched forward on the edge of the settee. Alex reached out to hand him the tumbler of scotch which he accepted without a word, as she tentatively sat down as far apart from him as was possible. After a moments silence, which seemed to drag on into eternity, Gene finally spoke.

"I, err, didn't mean to upset you earlier, about your ex," he said falteringly, never one for apologising about anything.

Alex sighed as she considered how affected she still was by the abandonment of herself, and her daughter, by Peter Drake.

"It's funny really, for all my understanding of psychology, I just can't seem to let go of all the hurt and bitterness that my ex-husband left behind when he walked out," she answered more honestly than she had intended too, as she gulped down a large swig of scotch to try and dull the painful memories.

Gene risked a glance at her, and it pained him to see her sat looking so sad and vulnerable. Although he could see that she had purposefully removed herself as far from him as was possible, he longed to close the gulf between them and take her in his arms. He was uncomfortable about pursuing the subject of her ex-husband though, when there was obviously so much raw emotion attached to it. He decided that curious as he was, unless she continued voluntarily, he wouldn't press her any further on the matter. The silence between them stretched out until Gene broke it.

"Sounds like it's gonna to be quite a do, Chris and Shaz's wedding, I mean. I can't remember the last wedding I went to," he said attempting to change the subject and fill the awkward silence with small talk.

He wasn't sure why he'd said that he couldn't remember the last wedding he'd attended, when it was seared on his memory. He had been best man for Sam when he married Annie, and it had been a proud day for all of them.

Alex was growing tired, and was impatient to know Gene's real reason for following her up to the flat.

"So, what did you want to have a word about?" She asked pointedly as she risked meeting Gene's gaze.

"Oh, right, I just, err... it doesn't matter, I should get going," he fumbled.

Gene wasn't exactly sure why he had asked to talk to her, other than in that moment as she had prepared to leave him downstairs, he had felt that he didn't want to let her go. He still wanted to be close to her, even though he knew he should leave, but he couldn't make himself get up from his position on the settee.

"Well, goodnight then," she said.

Alex was confused, but somewhat relieved, that he didn't appear to have anything else to say, but as he remained rooted to his seat, she gave him a questioning look.

"Err, Bolly, I think we should, well clear the air, I suppose. I mean what with the wedding and everything, maybe we could wipe the slate clean, make a fresh start?" Gene spoke falteringly his eyes fixed on his feet as if he dared not meet her gaze.

She let out a sigh as she considered what Shaz had said earlier, it wasn't as if she couldn't understand why Gene had reacted the way he had to her confession about being from the future. She had always known that the shooting was an accident, but his loss of trust in her had hurt. The silence stretched out making Gene even more uncomfortable as he finally turned to face her.

"Bols?" He questioned his face full of confusion and concern.

Alex turned to meet his gaze, only to find that she was captivated by the intensity of his piercing blue eyes, as they blazed in the light from the table lamp. It was in that moment, as she practically swooned at him, that Gene felt he could contain himself no longer. All the months of longing, and that awful moment when he thought he'd killed her, flashed before him, as he was overtaken by an unexpected boldness. He moved to close the gap between them, wondering briefly if she would turn away in repulsion. Her eyes widened with shock as she took in the look of undisguised lust on his face, but she felt rooted to the spot as he took her in his arms, his lips crashing down upon hers as he gently worked his tongue into her mouth, hungrily exploring its depths. At first, she pushed weakly against his chest, but as she found his kisses to be not entirely unwelcome she couldn't stop herself from responding, wrapping her arms around him to pull him closer. Then suddenly a moment of clarity hit Alex, she hadn't been prepared for this turn of events and she felt obliged to try and fight against it, especially in light of how fragile their relationship had been lately. Gene continued, apparently oblivious as he moved to take her in his arms and carry her to the bedroom. She found she couldn't continue with her half-hearted protests as he lowered her down onto the bed, and she melted to his touch. He began ripping at her clothes as he kissed and sucked desperately at her exposed flesh, Alex felt her body responding against her better judgement, until her building arousal quietened the concerns in her mind. Gene struggled to release himself from his trousers, he had ripped off most of her clothes and his own, and as he kicked away his trousers to free his throbbing erection he reached to tear her knickers off. She looked into his eyes and he paused for a moment, giving her a questioning look, her mind whirred with confusion. She wanted him so much but she hadn't expected it to happen like this. Alex knew that she couldn't turn him away now though, not when they needed each other so badly. He found the answer he was looking for in her eyes and he plunged himself deep inside her, she cried out with ecstasy as he moved purposefully within her. She surrendered herself completely to the pleasurable sensations as his body slammed against hers, grunting and panting hard with the effort, his lips bruising her flesh as he sucked enthusiastically at her nipples and bit at her shoulders and neck. He reached down to stimulate her as she thrashed and moaned against him and she quickly felt her orgasm building. She finally screamed as her release pulsed through her and Gene thrust harder and deeper until he came, growling and biting at her shoulder. She felt him explode inside her, filling her with his liquid heat.

It was as if the spell was broken for Gene at that moment, as he fell back against the bed and he quickly recovered himself, leaping up to recover his clothes. He couldn't think what had possessed him, and he certainly hadn't gone after her earlier with the intention of doing what he'd just done. Although Alex hadn't turned him away, he felt uneasy at what his need for her had driven him to. He had been so filled with the desire to get as close to her as was humanly possible, he wondered if he could have stopped if that's what she had wanted. It scared him more than he could ever admit to anyone, least of all her, just how intense his feelings for her had become.

"What are you doing?" Alex questioned as she was confused and hurt at his apparent haste to get away.

"I, erm, I've got an early start in the morning," he said as he quickly pulled on his clothes.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Alex said as she jumped naked out of bed, and took position in the doorway to block his escape.

"Out of the way, Bolly," he said as he tried to exit, all the while avoiding meeting her gaze.

"Wham, bam, thank you Mam, eh? Why doesn't that surprise me?" Alex said bitterly as she refused to let Gene pass.

"It's late. I…I got carried away, I'm sorry, OKAY," Gene said sharply.

Upon hearing him expressing his regret at what had just happened between them, Alex suddenly felt the full vulnerability of her naked state, but she was determined not to betray her insecurity as she folded her arms and adopted a defiant pose.

"If you leave now, then tonight will be all we'll ever have, I won't be inviting you upstairs again, understand?" Alex asked with a cool calmness that masked her inner turmoil.

Gene merely gave a nod, and with eyes cast downwards he moved past her, she slid downwards against the bedroom doorframe after hearing the door close behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Til Death Do Us Part

Chapter 2

Gene sat scowling at his desk, wondering how on Earth he had managed to take an already messy situation and make it infinitely worse. He thought over his actions from the previous evening, and still couldn't fathom out what had possessed him to act the way he had. He wanted Alex almost from the first moment he had laid eyes on her, there was no denying that, but he had managed to keep his desires in check. However tempted he might have been at times, he had always stepped back before things went over the line. He couldn't blame the drink, because he'd drunk twice as much as he had last night many times in the past, and still been the right side of pissed afterwards. He had to acknowledge that he had been feeling increasingly desperate about holding on to her lately, what with coming so close to losing her after the shooting. He had feared that she wouldn't want to come back to his team, and he'd been more relieved and grateful than he had ever been before, when she did come back. Now he'd ruined everything. The sex had been amazing, and he couldn't help but feel ripples of arousal as his mind filled with images of Alex, naked and writhing beneath him, but it shouldn't have happened, not like that. Now it seemed he had monumentally blown it, because she was the one woman, the only woman, who had ever affected him so deeply. Is this what love felt like? He shuddered and shook his head as he wondered when he had turned into such a softy.

In his reflective state, Gene had missed Alex's entrance, and as he stared absentmindedly out of his office window, he was jolted out of his private agonies by the sight of her sitting at her desk. She was determined not to show any outward signs of the turmoil she felt inside. She had briefly considered calling in sick to avoid the awkwardness with Gene, but knew it would do no good in the long run. Alex found she had slept surprisingly well, after collapsing on the bed following Gene's abrupt departure, there were no bad dreams and she awoke feeling refreshed. It was only when she felt the wet stickiness between her legs and noticed the dark bruising around her shoulders, that the full impact of what had transpired between herself and Gene the previous night, hit her. If it were not for the physical evidence, Alex could have believed that it was just another of her fevered dreams. It wouldn't have been the first time that she had imagined him finally throwing caution to the wind and claiming her as his own. She had to admit to herself that she had wanted it to happen and that was why she couldn't ask him to stop, even though the timing felt wrong. She sat with her head bowed at her desk, not daring to look up for fear that she might meet his eye, and instead pretending to be engrossed in a file just in case he should be glancing in her direction.

Ray mooched in and immediately fell into conversation with his male colleagues, as they discussed the arrangements for Chris's stag do that night. Alex rolled her eyes as she heard talk of strippers and heavy drinking, it didn't surprise her in the least that he had planned such an evening for his friend. Then Chris and Shaz walked in as Ray led the others in a chorus of _I'm Getting Married in the Morning_.

"Give over will yer," the groom-to-be said looking embarrassed.

"Aww, I think it's sweet," Shaz said smiling.

"Not getting cold feet are we?" Ray goaded Chris.

"Course not," he snapped as he sat down and tried to look like he was busying himself with the papers scattered on his desk.

"Alright, keep yer hair on. What's up wi you this morning? Been practising too hard for your wedding night, have yer?" Ray sneered.

"Leave it will yer," Chris said sharply as he got up to go into the kitchen.

"It's just pre-wedding nerves, that's all," Shaz said with a reassuring smile.

Alex was worried that there was more to it than that, and wondered if she should go after him. Gene suddenly came bounding out of his office and she cringed, as she thought of herself daring to advise Chris on anything after the mess she had gotten herself into.

"Super wants a word, don't know how long I'll be," Gene said to no one in particular, and all the time avoiding looking in Alex's direction as he swept out of the office.

Alex couldn't deny that she was relieved at his departure, but she knew it would be short lived and they would have to face each other at some point. She didn't quite know how to feel about him either; she knew it was fear that had made him flee last night. She had seen the same look in his eyes after Trevor Riley's thugs had given him a beating; it was a fear of losing control and of being powerless, something she knew Gene hated. He also had a similar expression after he had accidentally shot her, that look was embedded in her mind. However, when she thought of him making love to her she couldn't help feeling aroused, it was all she had imagined and more, the way he felt inside her was making her shiver with excitement as she brought it to mind. She was angry at his cowardice though, when it came to confronting his feelings, but she was pretty sure that hadn't intentionally set out to hurt her. Although she had told him that he wouldn't be getting another invitation to share her bed, she knew she hadn't meant it, and if she could get him to be honest with her, and more importantly himself, about the way he felt, then maybe they had a chance. Alex decided that she would make it easy for him, just not too easy.

* * *

The day wore on uneventfully, with Chris still seeming quiet and distracted. Alex had tried to chat to the groom-to-be a few times, but he had brushed off her concerns and agreed with Shaz's earlier assessment that it was just pre-wedding jitters. Gene had succeeded in avoiding any contact with Alex for most of the day, his meeting with the Super had gone on all morning and it was the one time that he was grateful for it, even if his mind was elsewhere throughout. Then he had slipped out for a long lunch with some fellow senior officers, it was almost 2 pm when Alex finally caught sight of him disappearing into the gents toilets. She spotted DC Collins coming out of the door and accosted him before he could get away.

"Jimmy, have you seen the Guv?" She asked knowing full well that he had.

"Yes Ma'am, he's just gone in," he confirmed.

"Anyone else in there?" Alex asked casually.

"Err, no," replied a puzzled Collins.

Alex merely responded with an innocent smile as DC Collins made his way back to CID. He turned to look back down the corridor only to find it empty, she had disappeared inside the gents. Gene hadn't really needed to use the facilities; he was just trying to find a way of killing more time before he had to go back into the office. He had gone into one of the empty cubicles and sat down, deep in thought until a voice coming from directly above him made him jump.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to avoid me," Alex said.

She peered through the narrow gap at the top of the cubicle, and tried to adopt a serious tone, despite the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Bloody Hell, Bols. If I was trying to avoid you I'd be daft to hide out in here, wouldn't I? You're in here more than I am. I'd think we had another George/Gaynor situation on our hands, if I didn't know better," he said in his usual boorish manner.

"Yes, well, speaking of knowing better, we are both grown-ups, aren't we? So we had sex, we've still got to work together. It's not like every time I see you I'll be picturing you naked, or imagining you bending me over your desk, or anything," she said trying to maintain her serious façade but barely managing to suppress her amusement.

"Well I'm glad you think it's so funny," He said angrily.

He was hurt by her flippantness and failed to find any humour in the situation.

"Oh, Gene, you were the one who couldn't get away fast enough afterwards. Was it really that bad?" She asked knowing full well that wasn't the reason he had fled.

"It wasn't that, I just, bloody Hell woman, shouldn't you be doing some work or something, instead of giving ruddy psychiatry sessions in gent's toilet cubicles?" He growled with increasing irritation as he grew more and more flustered.

"Let me in?" Alex appealed.

"There you go again with your psycho-twattery!" Gene snapped as he misunderstood her.

"No, I mean let me into your cubicle." She explained with a smile.

"What if someone comes in? How'll it look?" He questioned.

"Whereas, me talking to you over the top of a toilet cubicle is an everyday occurrence." Alex said trying to point out the ridiculousness of their current state.

"Come on then." He said, reluctantly getting up.

She jumped down off the toilet seat and moved past him, and she squeezed in as close to him as possible, so that she could close the door behind her.

"And they say romance is dead," Alex laughed as Gene hesitantly moved to kiss her.

He brought his lips tentatively against hers at first, but as he drew back she smiled and pulled him closer. They deepened the kiss, their tongues hungrily exploring each other's mouths, as their hands began to roam.

"I was so sure I'd buggered things up between us," he said as they paused to catch their breath.

"Well luckily for you, with my knowledge of psycho-twattery, I could see what was really going on with you when you ran out last night," Alex said knowingly.

"Alright, Clever Knickers, it's just the way you make me feel, I dunno, I'm no good at putting it into words," Gene said falteringly.

"It's alright, I know," she said as she moved to kiss him again.

"So, about me bending you over my desk?" He said playfully.

They both collapsed into giggles, just then they heard someone enter the toilets, and Alex quickly crouched onto the toilet seat so as to conceal her presence from any prying eyes. She had to bury her face against Gene's chest to stifle her laughter as they could both hear the distinctive sound of Ray humming along to a Culture Club song as he emptied his bladder. Gene had to pretend he was coughing to mask his sniggering, and so alerted Ray to his presence.

"Is that you, Guv? I wondered where you'd got to," Carling said.

"I'll be out in a minute, Raymondo, everything alright?" Gene replied.

"Yer, I suppose, Chris has got a right strop on though, oh, and Drake's vanished, you haven't seen her, have you?" He asked.

"Have I seen DI Drake? Nope, don't think so." The Guv lied as Alex pushed her face closer against his chest to stop her giggles being overheard, but a small squeak escaped.

"What was that?" Ray asked with suspicion as he heard the strange noises coming from the cubicle.

"Just me shitting coal blocks. Now, get back to work." Gene snapped sharply, and as they heard Carling leaving, they both collapsed into laughter again.

* * *

Later that evening, they were all gathered in Luigi's sharing one last drink before the lads went off to indulge in Chris's stag do shenanigans. Shaz had decided against a hen night, opting instead for a few drinks with Alex before heading home for a family meal. Chris was still looking a little bit pensive, but he was already well on his way to being drunk and the rest of the gang were lining up his drinks.

"Don't overdo it, baby," Shaz fretted as her fiancé knocked back another pint.

"Blimey, she's started the nagging already," Ray said mockingly as he ordered Luigi to refill the glass.

"Keep an eye on him, will you? He's been a bit out of sorts today," Alex said quietly to Gene as she was still very concerned about Chris.

"Course he's out of sorts, he's about to get wed," Gene said with exasperation.

Alex rolled her eyes.

"I hope you're going to behave yourself as well," she said as she threw him a suspicious look.

"Yes Boss," he said raising his eyebrows with a wicked grin.

"I can't say that I approve of an evening, spent ogling naked women, but I suppose it is traditional, sort of, for a stag do I mean," she said resignedly.

"Don't worry, there's only one naked woman I want to be ogling." Gene said as he winked at her.

She knew that her feminist sensibilities should be outraged by his comments, but instead she found herself blushing and giggling like a school girl.

"Thanks, I think," she said confused over what she should feel, but then Gene often had that effect on her.

"How's about I slip away early, and come back here to tuck you into bed?" He said with a mischievous grin.

"Yes, but only if you promise to stay the night this time," Alex said.

"Oh, okay, but you'd better not snore," Gene huffed with mock indignation.

Shaz and Chris enjoyed one last kiss before he was dragged away by Ray. She and Alex waved the boys off as they settled down for one last drink together, before the bride-to-be left for home.

"I can't believe it's finally happening, this time tomorrow, I'll be Mrs Skelton." She beamed with contentment.

"I'm so happy for you, Shaz." Alex said, taking her hand and gently squeezing it.

"You seem a lot brighter today, Ma'am." The WPC said noting the twinkle in her friend's eyes.

Alex blushed involuntarily as she thought about everything that had happened with Gene since they had last been sat together in Luigi's.

"Yes, well, I took your advice, I cleared the air with the Guv, and it's all good," she said with a smile.

"That's great," Shaz said awkwardly, as she suspected her DI and DCI had been doing more than just talking.

They sipped the last of their drinks and Luigi came over to wish the bride-to-be well for her big day. She got up to embrace him as she said her goodbyes, and then Alex walked outside with her.

"Well that's it then, I'll see you at the church tomorrow," she said as she affectionately hugged Shaz.

"Are you sure you won't come with me? Mum wouldn't mind setting an extra place for dinner," her friend asked hopefully.

"No, thanks, you go and be with your family, anyway I've got plans tonight." Alex said.

"Oh right," Shaz said knowingly, as she recalled how her DI and DCI had been whispering conspiratorially earlier.

"Good night Sharon Granger," Alex said purposefully with a smile.

"Night Ma'am," she replied with happy tears in her eyes, as she thought it would be one of the last times that she would ever hear anyone call her by that name.


	3. Chapter 3

Til Death Do Us Part

Chapter 3

Alex was stirred from her slumber by the sound of insistent ringing from the phone by her bedside.

"Who the bloody hell's that?" Gene growled with irritation.

He grumpily moved to pull the covers back over to his side of the bed.

"Hello, Drake speaking." Alex said as she sleepily grabbed for the receiver.

"Thank God, I've been out searching high and low, I tried to get hold of the Guv but he seems to have disappeared into thin air an' all. I don't know where else to look, I'm in a right bloody pickle 'ere," Ray garbled on the other end of the line.

"Ray, what is it? What's happened?" She asked, alarmed by the panic in his voice.

Gene sat up at the mention of Carling's name and at the tone of alarm in Alex's voice.

"What's up?" He mouthed silently to her, not wanting to give away his presence there to Ray. She shrugged in response as he moved closer to the receiver to hear what was being said.

"He's gone. I woke up and went to start getting ready and that's when I found it."

"Found what?" Alex asked with puzzlement.

"Chris had pushed a note through the letterbox, saying he was sorry but he couldn't go through with the wedding. He says he's gone away, and that he loves Shaz too much to marry her, the twonk," Ray explained.

"Oh, no, you haven't spoken to Shaz yet, have you?" Alex asked, worried that he had broken the news with his usual tact.

"No, not yet, but I probably should, don't want her getting all dolled up for nothing, do we?" He said.

Alex looked at the clock next to the phone, noting that it was almost 9 am, and the wedding wasn't due to start until 1:30 pm.

"Well, we've still got over four hours until we have to be at the church, and if we could find him, I'm sure I could talk him round, no need to worry Shaz yet, but I'll call her and make sure she hasn't heard from Chris, because he might have left a note for her too," Alex explained.

Although she wasn't sure exactly how they were going to find Chris, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"Alright, I'll go and have another scout around for him, should I try ringing the Guv again?" Ray asked.

"Err, no, leave the Guv to me," Alex said as she hung up the phone and slapped Gene away from kissing her neck.

"Oi, what was that for?" He asked as he rubbed his head where she had hit it.

"Chris has done a runner, and we've got to find him," she explained as she moved to get out of bed.

"I know, I heard, the silly bugger. And the worst of it is; I was planning on slipping you another one before we had to get ready." Gene replied annoyed at the disruption to his plans.

Alex threw a pillow at his head.

"Come on, jump to it. I've got to ring Shaz, and you could get dressed and have a ride round in the Quattro, see if you can spot him." She barked out her orders as he reluctantly started to get out of bed.

"I can't say I'm not tempted to go with plan A though." She said with a wicked smile as she took in the sight of Gene's naked body.

He moved around the bed to take Alex in his arms and despite everything, she couldn't help but react to his kisses and caressing. She felt him growing hard against her stomach and suddenly she couldn't resist wanting to feel him inside her.

"Oh, Gene, that feels so good," she purred as he kissed and sucked at her breasts while stroking slowly but rhythmically between her legs.

"Mm, love how wet you get for me," he said as he dipped his fingers inside her, thrilling at the feel of her slick heat.

"What about the wedding? Ohhhhh…" Alex protested weakly as Gene's skilful ministrations brought her close to the edge.

"Sod the wedding," he said as he repositioned himself over her and before she could mourn the loss of his fingers inside her, he entered her in one smooth stroke causing her to cry out with pleasurable surprise.

All thoughts of the wedding and Chris's disappearance were forgotten as they took each other to the heights of ecstasy. Alex couldn't help but laugh as they both climaxed in close succession just as the phone began to ring again.

"Talk about ringing my bell," she giggled.

"Drake," she answered breathlessly as she tried to recover herself.

There was beeping from a payphone before Ray's gruff voice cut in.

"Have you managed to get in touch with the Guv yet? I got hold of Viv, and he put a call out on the radio for uniform to look out for Chris. I've just had a call through, and PC Winters spotted him going into Victoria coach station. He's gone in to see if he can find him and I'm on my way now," he explained.

"I'm with the Guv now, we'll see you there," Alex said as she hung up the phone.

She wasn't going to waste any time feeling guilty about her little diversion with Gene. It was only just gone 10 am, and there was still plenty of time to set things right with Chris. Hopefully they could get the wedding back on track without Shaz ever knowing anything had gone awry.

"Come on get dressed, and I mean it this time," Alex said in a commanding tone, as she picked up Gene's trousers from the floor and threw them in his direction.

She grabbed her own clothes and rushed off to the bathroom to freshen up, as they both tried to make themselves look presentable before setting off for the coach station.

Gene was soon behind the wheel of the Quattro, tearing through the city streets as Alex held on for dear life. She had managed to place a quick call to Shaz to make sure all was well at her end before they had set off. The bride-to-be had sounded so happy, and Alex was determined to make sure she stayed that way.

"Take it easy or we'll end up at a funeral, instead of a wedding," she warned as Gene took a sharp corner.

"It's an emergency isn't it? And don't tell me how to drive," he said gruffly.

Alex rolled her eyes, and then she thought about what she would say to the errant groom-to-be, when they got to the station.

"I just hope I can get through to Chris, I tried talking to him yesterday, but I was so wrapped up in us, I just didn't try hard enough. I knew something was getting to him," she said.

"Don't fret yourself, Bolly, he's a bloody idiot, maybe it'd be better for Shaz if he did bugger off. I mean, a smart lass like that, marrying a right berk, it'll never last," he said knowingly.

"Oh, Gene, you can't help who you fall in love with, can you? The whole world, yourself included, might think you've gone mad but you can't stop it. I mean, you can fight against it all you like, but at the end of the day it does no good because it's still there, and the more you deny it, the stronger it gets." Alex said, painfully aware she was talking more about her own feelings for the man sat beside her, than Chris and Shaz.

Gene looked pensive for a moment and he continued with his focus on the road ahead.

"Do you love me, Bolly?" He asked in a neutral tone, not once taking his eyes off the road.

She didn't reply, and he thought for a moment that she hadn't heard or worse still, that she had, but didn't want to answer him. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally broke the silence.

"It's funny, isn't it? I mean you can be from different worlds, quite literally in fact, but if the attraction is there, and if you get to know that person, and then find that there is so much more to them than you ever imagined. I suppose what I'm saying is, real or just a dream, it doesn't really matter in the end because it feels real," Alex struggled to explain her feelings.

"Is that a yes?" Gene asked, confused as usual by her ramblings.

"If I'm honest, I finally realised it on the day before you shot me, it's quite ironic really if you think about it," she said with sadness.

"Sorry Bols, you've lost me," he said, slightly irritated that Alex couldn't just give a simple answer to a simple question, but then he reflected, maybe asking someone if they loved you wasn't that simple after all.

"Do you remember what you said to me, when you came to visit me in the hospital? You know, when you came to give me my warrant card back," Alex asked with a small smile.

"Erm, that I'd rather shoot my own bollocks off than hurt you on purpose?" Gene answered, thinking that was what Alex was recalling.

"No, not that, sweet a sentiment as it was," she said laughing.

"You said no one had ever got to you the way I did, and you said the exact same thing to me as I had said to you, all those months ago, _I thought I'd lost you_. But you didn't lose me and I didn't lose you. It hurt that you lost trust in me, and it still hurts, but I understand why you did. I loved you then, and I love you now, and I decided yesterday I didn't want to waste any more time dancing around it, which was why I let you off the hook so easily over your quick exit after our first time. This, us, it scares you and that's O.K because it scares me too, but it's worth a bit of fear, isn't it?" Alex asked hopefully.

"You know, you could have just answered yes and I'd have been satisfied," Gene said as he pulled up outside Victoria station.

He turned to Alex with a warm smile and moved to brush her lips with his own, taking her into his arms as they deepened the kiss. They were jolted out of the moment by the not so discreet sound of Ray clearing his throat; he was stood next to the driver's side window.

"Finally, Chris was about to board a coach back to Manchester, and he wouldn't listen to sense, so me and PC Winters cuffed him," he explained as the Guv and Drake got out of the car.

He fidgeted about, feeling uncomfortable with the display of intimacy he had just witnessed between his DI and DCI.

"Where is he now?" Alex asked.

"Manager said we could use his office," Ray explained as he led her to it.

"I'll go in and have a chat with him, you two wait outside," she ordered as they reached the office door, leaving Gene and Ray to stand together in awkward silence.

Alex tentatively entered the office to find the errant groom-to-be, sat at the manager's desk with his head in his hands; PC Winters excused himself to give them some privacy.

"Chris, let's just have a little chat, eh? See if we can sort things out?" She coaxed in a gentle tone.

He slowly raised his head and hastily wiped away the tears from his cheeks.

"There's no use Ma'am, my minds made up," Chris said, his voice cracking with emotion.

"You know, I spoke to Shaz a little while ago, and she sounded so happy. She said today was going to be the best day of her life," Alex said as she tried to remind him of what he would be losing.

"Shaz is the most beautiful, wonderful and amazing woman in the world, and she deserves the best of everything, but I can't give it to her. I let her down, I let you all down so badly and it eats away at me, just like Summers said it would. I don't deserve to be happy, and I'm scared I'll let her down again, she's better off without me," he said as he sniffed back his tears.

"Oh Chris, you did do wrong, and some terrible things happened, but I think we've all suffered enough, don't you? Shaz forgave you because she loves you so much, and because she believes in you. Please don't let bitterness and regret destroy the rest of your life, like Martin Summers did. He was the one who reeled you in; he played a major part in getting you involved with Operation Rose and the rest of it. He was consumed with bitterness and rage over past injustices; he did the wrong thing and was corrupted as you were. But in the end it led to nothing but his downfall and he died in sad and lonely regret." Alex explained.

"I've made such a mess of things," he said with despair.

"No, no you haven't, Shaz is none the wiser about all this and she need never know if you come back now and get sorted for the wedding. Of course, if you feel you really don't want to marry her, and the whole 'til death do you part thing, isn't the kind of commitment you can make to Shaz, then I suppose you should at least be man enough to tell her so," she said, confident that Chris really did want to get married, and would act accordingly.

"We'd better get going then; I don't want to let Shaz down, do I? Thanks, Ma'am," he said as he wiped away his tears and managed a small smile.

"It was my pleasure, Chris," Alex replied as she moved to give him a hug.

* * *

It was a lovely ceremony, and the church was full to the rafters with family and friends of the happy couple as they solemnly took their vows. Chris managed to stumble over the words a few times, but he delivered them with such feeling that Alex, and a good few other members of the congregation, were moved to tears. She even saw Ray fumbling for his hanky at one point. Gene wasn't generally fond of weddings, but even he appeared to be enjoying the occasion. It didn't hurt that he had Alex by his side, looking stunningly beautiful even by her high standards, and it made him feel happier than he had ever been.

Alex was so relieved that everything had worked out alright in the end, and as she said in a quiet aside to a worried looking Chris, upon her entrance into the church before the service began.

"All's well that ends well."

And so it had.

The reception was a lively affair and with the drinks flowing freely, it didn't take long for the party to get started in earnest. Ray had been fretting about his best man's speech for weeks, and Alex had been duly alarmed when she had managed to extract the final draft from him a few days earlier. It had been peppered with expletives and dirty jokes, and there had been many mentions of Chris's prowess, or rather the lack of it, in the bedroom department. She felt however, that with some careful editing and a little gentle persuasion, it could be remedied. She had managed, with her diplomatic skills, to steer Ray in a more tasteful and sensitive direction. Her heart was still thumping with anticipation as he rose to deliver the speech. But in the end, except for an improvised gag about the Catholics and contraception, it was surprisingly heartfelt and sincerely delivered.

Chris decided that he would like to say a few words before the toast and he rose to his feet, taking his wife's hand in his.

"I thought when Shaz agreed to be my wife, that it was the happiest and proudest day of my life, but I was wrong, today is. I love you so much Mrs Sharon Skelton, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I'm the luckiest man in the world."

Chris pulled her up into his arms for a lingering kiss as the wedding party all raised their glasses.

"To Mr and Mrs Skelton, Chris and Shaz," Ray bellowed with enthusiasm.

"He's the second luckiest man," Gene whispered in Alex's ear.

"What?" She asked, unable to hear what he was saying due to the three cheers for the happy couple.

"Chris, he's the second luckiest bloke in the world," Gene said, with a look in his eyes that made Alex melt.

She took his hand under the table and as she gazed into his eyes, all the obstacles that stood in the way of their continuing happiness seemed to vanish. She wouldn't torture herself with thoughts of how long it would last or whether it was all just a dream, she would savour every second and accept it for what it was.

"How about a twirl around the dance floor?" Gene said as he stood up and held out his hand invitingly to Alex.

There was an old Frank Sinatra song playing that she recognised from the film, When Harry Met Sally. She listened to the lyrics in the warm embrace of Gene's strong arms as they moved around the dance floor, and she couldn't help thinking how perfectly the words summed up their relationship.

_"For nobody else gave me a thrill, with all your faults, I love you still…"_ Alex sang along.

"Yeah, me too," Gene said with a wide smile.

[It Had To Be you – Written by Isham Jones, with lyrics by Gus Kahn.]

**THE END.**


End file.
